1. Field of the Inventions
The inventions relate generally to semiconductor packaging and specifically to semiconductor packaging that is tamper resistant.
2. Background Information
Payment card fraud is a growing epidemic. Manufacturers have made strides in improving the security of their Point of Sale PIN Entry Devices (PEDs), but vulnerabilities that can be exploited still exist. Criminals have developed sophisticated techniques to access sensitive data contained within or transmitted by point of sale (POS) devices by accessing the POS device through the integrated circuit (IC) package.
Conventional deterrents have included implementing active sensing electronics within the IC package to detect mechanical or electrical tampering. However, these methods have proven to not be completely effective, and sensitive stored data are still being accessed.